Has anyone been to either one of the reservoirs lately that can give me an idea of the water levels? I'm just launching a tube so I don't need to use a boat ramp. I heard Deep Creek is real low so I was worried that the others will be real low also. I'm planning a trip just after Labor Day to try and exercise some fish.[
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Thanks for any information anyone might have.
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Daniels is as low as I have ever seen it and you can launch anywhere and kick to the north end. Treasureton launches great from the dock and also has plenty of water from what my source tells me. With this cool weather both should be fishing ok.
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Thanks for the quick reply blacktop. It sounds like Treasureton might be the one to try first. I'm hoping with this cool wet weather we've had that the water temperatures will be dropping. I hate to fish Daniels when the water is too warm because it is so hard on the fish.
Thanks again for the info.
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I fished Weston on Wednesday (incredibly low, there's all of five feet of water in the deepest point), and the water temp was around 70 then. I would imagine Treasureton would be similar in temp, maybe down into the upper 60s after the latest round of weather.
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Thanks for the information.
It's getting to the point where you wonder when they are going to stop pulling the water out of these reservoirs and conserving some of it. Does the fish and game have any conservation pools in any of those reservoirs?
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I know that Weston can't go any lower just by the design of the outtake, though they still haven't shut it off yet, so it just sort of trickles out. I was at Winder, which can go completely dry, and it dropped about 8 feet in less than a week. That reservoir was completely full in June, and now we've had the coolest, wettest August in recent history, and they're just pumping that water out of there. It kind of makes you wonder what they're thinking [crazy] I'm going to be pretty pissed if they ruin another fishery for no good reason. You'd think that the puddles of standing water in the fields would tell them they don't need to water right now, but I guess they paid for their water, so they're going to use it [mad] And yeah, I know we wouldn't even have these fisheries without the farmers, but seriously, use some common sense.
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I hear they shut weston off as of mid last week. on the other hand i couldnt believe how much water foster had when i drove by yesterda.
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Don't feel bad, the waters users in Utah are just as bad, if not worse. They all talk about conservation but when it comes down to it they will run the water across there fields because, like you said they paid for it. As wet as August has been they should have planted rice.[
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That's good news about Weston. That little bit of water trickling out of there wasn't going to do anybody any good. Maybe now it can fill a little with the rain storms.
I'm really surprised by how full Foster is too. That's why I was really frustrated to see Winder lower than it got the last two summers which were much hotter and drier. I'd personally prefer they drain Foster seeing as it's more of a put and take planter trout fishery these days.
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A little of topic but I did hear some information from a buddy of mine that talked to the F&G last week. He said that the officer told him that the water levels are so low at Chesterfield that they are planning a kill off this fall. He didnt know the date but said that there will be no limit on the fish because they dont anticipate anything making it through this winter. Its a shame about the water levels in all of Idahos southeastern region. Just thought I would put it out there.
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That is really
to hear about Chesterfield. That has always been so productive for big rainbows and a few browns.
It just doesn't make sense how we have the coolest and wettest August in years and they keep pulling water out of the reservoirs.
Thanks for the update on Chesterfield. I guess I can scratch that off my list to fish for a couple of years.
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Part of the problem continues to be the chub population which they have not been able to eradicate and they may have plans to get that job done finally. I went there last in mid August last year with Oxygen concerns then. Will place a call to regionel manager and report back.
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Thanks for the info.
Maybe if they are going to have to start over with the fish they need to look at putting in some fish eaters along with the rainbows. Cutthroats, browns, tiger trout, or maybe even tiger muskies to keep the chubs from getting established in there again. They never really do get rid of them, but if they can get some predatory fish in there they should be able to keep them in check.
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Chesterfield used to go dry every few years. It has been better, but it is still a shame to see it die off this year.
It is pretty much impossible to get rid of the chubs since they come down out of the reservation streams.
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like peirce said. unfortunately chest will dry every 5 years or so. but that's what makes the trout grow so fast because of the shallow water. its kind of a catch 22.
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I got an email back from F&G. They are NOT going to poison the reservoir, and the canal company has stopped use.
Here is what that email said:
"Chesterfield is not going to be drained and is not going to be renovated by IDFG. The Portneuf Marsh Valley Irrigation Company shut off the irrigation withdrawal about two weeks ago. We have been monitoring water levels and temperature closely. The current levels is holding and in about two weeks the reservoir will start refilling."
Chesterfield hasn't been run dry for a lot of years now. The canal company has been great about trying to keep a pool. They have VOLUNTARILY cut back their water to keep enough in there for the fish. They have again this year too. I posted about this a bit earlier this year.
www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=875459
What the canal company would like is for sportsmen not to block their access and to take care of the area. Pick up any trash etc. If you like fishing there and appreciate their leaving a pool, clean up any messes you see.
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Thanks that is the word I got also. The irrigators shut of two weeks ago. kudo,s to them as well as the farmers who have always judiciously kept the water up at Treasureton.
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Thanks for clearing that up. Glad to hear that there wont be a kill off. Sorry about the misinformation[blush]
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That's great news. I really respect and appreciate their decision to do that.
In other good news, I went by Winder yesterday, and it hasn't gone down at all since last week. In fact, I think it may have risen a little. I'm feeling much more optimistic about things now [
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I have been fishing treasurton recently quite often and it is holding water right now should start coming up.. The water is to warm to safely target the trout but the bass are a grand time.. Lots of moss around the edges.. I quit fishing Daniels place gets to much pressure for my liking on fishing.. That and I just don't like it that much.. I have fished most of the places around Preston and between lava and soda and they all are fishing OK but again if you like to catch and release now is just not the time for trout in the reservoirs they are much to warm. I was at a smaller place above chester and at 1am the water was pee warm.. And very shallow. But fishing OK... If you do target them remember warm water fish them fast don't fight them tell they give up as they more than. Likely will not survive..
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